AWS SFTP Sync Extension for VS Code
A powerful Visual Studio Code extension that simplifies AWS EC2 instance management and SFTP workflows by providing seamless integration between your local development environment and AWS EC2 instances through SSH connections.
📋 Table of Contents
🎯 Overview
The AWS SFTP Sync extension streamlines your AWS EC2 instance workflow by providing an intuitive interface to manage AWS credentials, discover EC2 instances (stacks), establish SSH connections with proxy support, and automatically sync files between your local workspace and remote EC2 instances.
✨ Features
- 🔧 Dependency Management: Automatic detection and guidance for required tools
- 🔐 AWS Integration: Seamless AWS CLI credential and profile management
- 🔍 Instance Discovery: Find AWS EC2 instances by stack name or creator
- 🔗 SSH Connection Management: Create, manage, and terminate SSH connections with proxy support
- 📁 Auto-Sync: Real-time file synchronization between local and remote directories
- ⚙️ Configuration Management: Save and reuse connection configurations
🚀 Getting Started
- Install the Extension: Search for "AWS SFTP Sync" in the VS Code Extensions marketplace
- Open the Extension: Use the command palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) and type "AWS SFTP Sync"
- Follow the Setup Guide: Complete the setup process tab by tab
📑 Tab-by-Tab Guide
Tab 1: Dependencies
Purpose: Ensures all required tools are installed for the extension to work properly.
What you'll find here:
- AWS CLI: Required for AWS operations
- SSH Client: Required for secure connections
- SFTP Client: Required for file transfers
What happens: The extension automatically checks if these tools are installed on your system. If any are missing, you'll see clear instructions on how to install them.
Tab 2: AWS Credentials
Purpose: Set up your AWS credentials and profiles that will be used across all other tabs.
What you'll find here:
- AWS Credentials File: View, edit, or create your AWS credentials
- AWS Config File: Manage your AWS configuration settings
- AWS Profiles: List and manage your AWS profiles
Important: The profiles you set up here will be available in tabs 3, 4, and 5. Make sure to complete this step before proceeding.
How to set up:
- Click "Create Credentials" if you don't have AWS credentials
- Run
aws configure to set up your default profile
- Add additional profiles as needed
- Verify your setup by listing profiles
Tab 3: AWS Instances
Purpose: Discover and manage your AWS EC2 instances (stacks).
What you'll find here:
- Search by Stack Name: Find instances using CloudFormation stack names
- Search by Creator Email: Find instances created by specific users
- Instance Details: View comprehensive information about each instance
How to use:
- Select your AWS profile from the dropdown
- Enter a stack name or creator email
- Click "Search" to find matching instances
- View detailed information about each instance
Tab 4: SSH Connections
Purpose: Manage SSH connections to your AWS EC2 instances and configure SSH settings with proxy support.
What you'll find here:
- SSH Configuration: View, edit, or create SSH config files
- Active Connections: See currently active SSH connections
- Connection Management: Create new connections or terminate existing ones
- Configuration Templates: Save connection settings for future use
Key Features:
- Quick Connect: Connect directly to an instance with minimal setup
- Proxy Support: Configure proxy commands for secure connections through bastion hosts
- Saved Configurations: Save connection settings for repeated use
- Connection Monitoring: View active connections and their status
- SSH Key Management: Select and manage SSH identity files
How to connect:
- Choose your connection method (Stack Name or Instance ID)
- Select your AWS profile
- Enter connection details (username, identity file, etc.)
- Click "Connect" for immediate connection or "Save Configuration" for future use
Tab 5: SFTP Configuration
Purpose: Set up automatic file synchronization between your local workspace and remote EC2 instances.
What you'll find here:
- Local Path: Select your local directory for synchronization
- Remote Path: Specify the remote directory on the EC2 instance
- Sync Status: Monitor active synchronization sessions
- Configuration Management: Save and load SFTP configurations
How it works:
- Setup: Choose your local and remote directories
- Configuration: Select your AWS profile and connection settings
- Start Sync: Begin automatic file synchronization
- Monitoring: Watch real-time sync status and manage sessions
Auto-Sync Feature: Once configured, any changes you make to files in your local directory will automatically be uploaded to the remote EC2 instance via SFTP.
🔧 Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Profile Not Saving: Ensure you've completed the AWS Credentials setup in Tab 2 before using other tabs.
Connection Failures:
- Verify your SSH key is in the correct format (PEM)
- Check that your AWS profile has the necessary permissions
- Ensure the instance is running and accessible
Sync Issues:
- Verify both local and remote paths are correctly specified
- Check that you have write permissions on the remote directory
- Ensure your SSH connection is stable
Getting Help
If you encounter issues:
- Check the VS Code Output panel for detailed error messages
- Verify all dependencies are properly installed (Tab 1)
- Ensure AWS credentials are correctly configured (Tab 2)
- Review the troubleshooting section in our documentation
💬 Support
Documentation
Support the Project
If this extension helps you in your work, consider supporting its development:
👥 Contributing
We welcome contributions! Whether it's bug reports, feature requests, or code contributions, your input helps make this extension better.
How to Contribute
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch
- Make your changes
- Submit a pull request
Development Documentation
For contributors who want to understand the codebase structure and development workflow, please refer to our Development Guide. This comprehensive document covers:
- Code architecture and organization
- File structure and responsibilities
- Data flow between components
- Development setup and debugging
- Key concepts and best practices
Contributors
📄 License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
🙏 Acknowledgments
- AWS EC2 team for the excellent service
- VS Code team for the extensible platform
- Open source community for inspiration and tools
Made with ❤️ for the AWS community
